Fruitful Lessons Upon the Passion Burial Resurrection Ascension, passion · Commentary 2
Doctrine and fruite.
HEere ought we diligently to conſider the vnſpeakeable and feruent louelove of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt,LoueLove. who vntill the ende leaueth nothing vndone that may ſerue for our welfare.Humblenes. Likewiſe alſo ſhould we ponder and regard the meeke lowlines of him, in that hee the king of heauen doth humble himſelfe, euen to waſh his Diſciples feete: which thing is accounted baſe and vile amongſt men: yea euen vntounto the man that betraied him, is not he aſhamed, neyther refuſeth to ſhew ſuch lowlines and worke of louelove.
By this we learne, to declare all workes of charitable louelove vntounto our neighbor, and not to bee aſhamed (how high ſoeuer we be) meekly to do our neighbor ſeruice, though he be poore, baſe, and ſmall in reputation, yea, albeit hee hath already hurt and betrayed vsus. We ought to learne with Chriſt our head, to doe good: not onelyonly to our brethren and friends, but alſo to our aduerſaries, enemies, euill willers, and ſuch as louelove vsus not: euen vntounto them ſhould wee ſhewe friendſhip, ſeruing them, being gentle, milde, and louing vntounto them. We muſt pray vntounto the Lorde, that he wil graunt vsus grace to fulfill and do, that we heare and read of him.
Furthermore, conſidering that we daily perceiue in our ſelues ſpottes and blemiſhes of ſinne, ſo that our feet (that is to ſay, our affections & deſires) while wee walke in the myerie waie, are ſtill continually defiled and ſtayned: we ought therefore inceſſantly to watch and to call vntounto God, that he with the water of his grace, will vouchſafe to make cleane our feete, and waſh away the mire of earthie and carnall ſpottes: that wee in the pureneſſe of faith may abide in Chriſt our head, and he in vsus.
Of the Sermon that Chriſt made vntounto his Diſciples after the Supper.
The exhortation and warning of Chriſt.THen ſaide Ieſus vntounto his Diſciples: This night ſhall you all bee offended becauſe of me. For it is written: I ſhall ſmite the ſhepheard, and the ſheepe of the flock ſhal be ſcattered But when I am riſen againe, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter anſwered,The preſumption & raſhnes of Peter. and ſaid vntounto him: And though they all bee offended becauſe of thee, yet will not I be ſo. Then ſaid Ieſus to him: Verely I ſay vntounto thee, that this night before the cocke crowe twiſe, thou ſhalt denie me three times. VponUpon this ſpake Peter further: Though I ſhould die with thee, yet will I not denie thee: and ſo ſaid all the Diſciples likewiſe. But Ieſus ſaid: I ſpeake not of you all: I know whom I hauehave choſen. He that eateth bread with me, ſhall lift vp his heele against me. This I tell you afore hand, ere it come to paſſe: that when it is done, ye may beleeue, that I am he. Verely verelie I ſay vntounto you, he that receiueth him whom I ſend, receiueth me:The dignitie and worthines of the diſciples. The foreknowledge of Chriſt. & who ſo receiueth me, receiueth him that ſent me.
When Ieſus had ſpoken this, he was troubled in ſpirit, & protested and ſaide: Verely verely I ſay vntounto you, one of you ſhall betray me, yea euen he that eateth with me. The Diſciples looked one vppon another, and doubting of whome hee ſpake, they were very ſorie and diſmaied, and began to ſay one after another: Lord is it I? Then ſaid Ieſus: One of the twelue, euen he that dippeth his hand with me in the platter, he ſhall betray mee. The ſonne of man goeth, as it is written of him: but woe vntounto him by whom the ſonne of man is betraied. Better it were for him, that he neuer had been borne.The preſumptuouſnes of Iudas. Then ſaid Iudas that betraied him, Lord, is it I? Then ſpake Ieſus: Thou hast ſaid.
One whom Ieſus loued among the Diſciples, lay vponupon Ieſus lappe. To him beckened Peter, and ſaid: Who is he that he ſpeaketh of? Now when he leaned on Ieſus brest, he ſayde vntounto him: Lord, who is it? Ieſus aunſwered: He it is, vntounto whom I ſhall reach the ſoppe. And when hee had dipped in the bread, he gaue it vntounto Iudas Simon Iſcarioth:Treaſon commeth of the deuill. and after the ſoppe entred the deuill into him. And Ieſus ſaid vntounto him: That thou doeſt, doo it quickly. None of thoſe that ſate at the table, perceiued why he ſpake this. Some thought, ſeeing Iudas had the purſe, that Ieſus had commaunded him to buy ſome thing neceſſarie at the feast, or to giuegive ſome thing vntounto the poore. Now when hee had taken it, hee went out immediately, and it was night.
Now when hee was gone foorth, Ieſus ſaide: Now is the ſonne of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified by him, then ſhall God glorifie him in himſelfe, and ſhall ſtraight way glorifie him. Little children, I am yet a ſmall time with you. Ye ſhall ſeeke me, and as I ſaid vntounto the Iewes, whither I go, ye cannot come. And now I ſay vntounto you: A new commaundement I giuegive you, to louelove one another as I hauehave loued you, that yee euen ſo louelove one another. Herein ſhall all men know and perceiue, that yee are my Diſciples, if ye hauehave louelove among your ſelues. Then ſaide Simon Peter: Lord, whither goest thou? Ieſus aunſwered him, and ſaid: Whither I go, thou canst not followe mee now, but thou ſhalt followe me hereafter. Then ſaid Peter vntounto him: Why may not I now follow thee? I will ieopard my life for thee Ieſus aunſwered: Wilt thou ieopard thy life for mee? Verelie, verelie I ſay vntounto thee: Afore the cock crow, thou ſhalt deny mee thriſe.